Quilt it OUT-?

This top was a yard sale rescue, I moved a couple of the stars around and then added white borders. (I couldn't match the blue)

Happy to say it is now quilted and bound. This top has personality (nice way of saying not a flat top) In the spirit of 'quilting it out', I think I did a pretty good job.

I have always been blessed to have lower expectations so when a piece turns out OK, I am happy.

This is well worth sharing- FYI, I can quilt it out- sometimes I just choose not too~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzoL7ddTEnA

Humorous Quilting Video set to Cathy Miller's song 'You Can Quilt That Out,' depicting the life of a longarm quilter. Video made by Mavis Rosbach, Quiltbird Studio, for "the Buzz on the Longarm Biz' class originally presented at the Georgia Quilt Show October, 2008.
www.quiltbirdstudio .com
www.singingquilter. com

The fabric I used on the back was from a bolt I have had for over 10 yrs. Thought I would never get to the end of it. This quilt made good dent and now I can brag it is off the bolt and down to a folded piece and some scraps.

string blocks- quilt group

This top is 64 x86 and will be a donation quilt when finished. Made with 8 1/2 practice blocks.





Tonight's class was a follow up on strings. The gals turned in 14, and whipped up another two to make two sets of 8.

String blocks can be pieced on paper or fabric. (you don't have to use a foundation but it really does help keep the block stable)

Strips can be any size, cut straight or not.


Marge brought a couple of hers to show. I really like how using a solid as the center strip makes this block look more complicated.

After seeing these beautiful utility quilts I could see the ideas just start taking off for some of the newbies.

How cute would this be in kids prints!!











I even heard someone suggest Christmas fabrics. I can't wait to see who makes the first top!

-cw

Another Wedding Quilt-

Good friend, Mary M let me pull from stash to donate towards this lovely gift.

I love having friends that share my passions. Another friend asked if we could make a quilt for an up coming event.

I think this turned out just lovely. Mary M sewed the top in record time. She then had to come over to my place to quilt it-- I supervised)

String Block Quilt class June-2010

Whether you choose to piece your strings on paper or fabric, I think you will find this is a fun block to sew to use up your scraps.



Some may prefer foundation blocks cut from old sheets. Other may like newspaper or phonebook pages. I have tied both and lean towards paper (I like the mess it makes when you tear it off!)


If you are sewing to a fabric foundation, use a normal stitch length.


(On a paper foundation, use as short a stitch as you can, it will perforate the paper and make it easier to remove)


Center your first strip face up on the diagonal of your square.



Place your second strip right side facing the center strip. Line up the edges of the fabrics and sew using a 1/4" seam. Press open if you like. I usually just finger press and go on. Continue adding strips until the block is the size you want.


Make your blocks in any combo you like. Try going lights on one half, darks on the other. Or alternate Red White and Blue strips. Whatever you can think up, will look good. Only rule is start in the center on the diagonal.


For this class the challenge is to make at least 2 donation blocks (8 1/2") from the scraps provided. Feel free to mix in your own Red Whites and Blues. We will use the blocks next class to make a small top.


For you own fun, experiment using different size blocks to start with. Piecing with strips can be done on any shape you like, any size you like. Save the pieces you cut off, we will use them in a later project.


String quilts have been a traditional way to use up scraps for many years. Please bring a picture or better yet a favorite string quilt to share next class time.

New Grand baby is here- June 3rd 2010

Best Daughter-in-law ever, Kelly and favorite Oldest son, Mike let me hang out in the delivery room to be one of the first to meet their new daughter.
Breely Grace was born at 12:55 am. June 3rd, 2010.

She weighs in at 8lbs and measures 21 1/4"

I am so proud to be part of the welcoming committee.

Brother, Lane and Sister, Karlee will have to wait until after breakfast to see their new sister. They got to spend a little time waiting with their mom and dad for the big event but got sent home for bed a couple of hours before the delivery.

Kelly did all the real work but Mike got to cut the cord. Grandma just stood back and tried not to cry. It is all so amazing. She smiled when I held her! I think she knows I have plans for her to learn to quilt with me.

Mary made another one

I think everyone call tell from this top that I DID NOT SEW IT.

My friend Mary M whipped up this beauty for a wedding gift for friends in El Salvador.

She asked me to machine quilt it because all her 'safety pins' were in use on another lovely quilt she is free motion quilting.

I offered to purchase more pins but just got a 'dirty' look for my humble effort to help.

Some friends we are- !

I am bragging a little but am so proud of the work Mary does on her quilts.

She has only been quilting a few years. Her work is wonderful,

I am a totally scrappy gal BUT can really appreciate the beautiful way these fabrics play together.

Mary designed the quilt around the floral focus fabric. I think most everything was pulled from her stash.

Now she needs to trim this quilt up and add the yellow binding. It will travel to the 'new' couple next week.

FYI- the SnowBall Block is a wonderful alt. block to use to show off a favorite fabric.- cw

quilt group: Children's I SPY challenge

For May the group was challenged to take a pack, of 48 misc. fabrics and make an "I SPY" donation quilt.

Participants were free to add their own materials to the mix.

We meet 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. The first meeting each month is a 'learning' class and the last meeting is show and tell and get caught up class.

Not everyone can make each class so there is a lot of catching up of past classes going on.

I did not take a packet b/c I am trying to get rid of my stash (the 12 packets that got handed out didn't make a dent in my children's prints)

Grand daughter, Karlee picked out prints she wanted in a donation quilt. She wanted to do one for a little girl. We didn't 'fussy' cut but did line up fabrics in sets of four. Sets that had a bigger focus fabric were used in the 'corners' and smaller prints were used on the sides and one print was used in all the middles. (We made 9-patches and then cut them doing the D-9 pattern)

Most likely a border will be added and then this little top will be done.

Marcy used many of the fabrics from the packet and add some from her stash.

Her quilt is made using the D-4 method. She sewed 4-patch sets and then sub-cut them into 9 pieces. She mixed it all up to create this beauty.


Mary M. worked hers similar to Marcy's but with a slightly larger starting sq. I think the outer border just makes this top "POP"

Jana is new to the group this year and was concerned that I would be disappointed that she went different route with her blocks-

Are you kidding!! I am thrilled to see that she used the fabric in a pattern that spoke to her. This is a beautiful top.

Some kid is going to be thrilled to call it their own.

Even though the gals were told that these are donation quilts, there was a twist to the night. The tops will be used for us each to practice our Free-Motion quilting (that class starts in a couple of months) and will then be up to the designer to gift as she chooses.

Fingers crossed we will see another dozen or so little I SPY beauties before the end of the year.- cw